The Diversity Center’s Black History Month programming continued Tuesday, Feb. 21 as they host “Black Lives Matter: Through the Prism of Frederick Douglass.” The event, part of the ECCE Speaker Series, consisted of a panel discussion led by several UIS faculty and staff members as well as members of the community.

The discussion focused on the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement, specifically using Frederick Douglass’s “West India Emancipation” speech of 1857 as a basis of analysis.

Ty Dooley, a professor in the Department of Public Administration, was one of the several UIS faculty and staff presenting at the panel. Dooley participated in this event because he believes it served as the first major discussion of the BLM movement at UIS.

Dooley hopes that students took away an important message about social justice: “That while the total bent of history in the United States bends toward justice, it does not do this on its own or by accident. It requires an enlightened citizenry that cares about community that will act not just for themselves but for each other.”

Dooley also believes the panel may benefit the Springfield community as a whole. Last summer, the Springfield Chief of Police Kenny Winslow told Dooley “All Lives Matter,” which left Dooley feeling that his concerns were dismissed and his questions left unanswered.

This event inspired Dooley to take action, such as facilitating this panel discussion.